Rex Larsen | The Grand Rapids PressDr. Richard McNamara, center, chief of cardiology at Spectrum Health, talks to Mark Robinson about good results from the diagnostic heart catheterization McNamara performed Wednesday in the Meijer Heart Center. Robinson, 46, of Fremont, had experienced chest pain when exercising. From left are nurse Judy McFadden and cardiovascular technicians Matthew Gleason, and John Zielinski, far right.

GRAND RAPIDS -- Spectrum Health's goal to raise its cardiovascular profile to rival top programs got a rocket boost this week with the opening of a new institute and the hiring of an internationally recognized thoracic surgeon to head up its new heart and lung transplant program.

"This is what really sets Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic apart, not just their clinical care, but research and education," said cardiology chief Dr. Richard McNamara. "Those are the three pillars we hope to build on."

The program will be based at the Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center and partner heavily with neighbors Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine and the Van Andel Institute. It will initially be headed up by McNamara and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Lawrence Patzelt while Spectrum leaders conduct a national search for a permanent leader.

Dr. Asghar Khaghani

By also announcing the arrival of Dr. Asghar Khaghani to head the new transplant program, Spectrum leaders appear to have made good on the promise to aggressively recruit a world-class certified surgeon. They signaled that intention in March, after receiving state certification that requires them to begin performing heart and lung transplants within two years.

Khaghani -- who has performed more than 1,000 heart transplants and more than 5,000 cardiovascular surgeries -- was selected from a pool of eight finalists, of which three were interviewed, said Spectrum Vice President Lisa Shannon.

"He is considered a pioneer in the field," Shannon said. "It became very clear that the opportunity to bring Dr. Khaghani from the United Kingdom was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Born in Tabriz, Iran, Khaghani earned a medical degree from Istanbul University in 1972, trained and worked at multiple hospitals until 1981 when he began performing surgery at Harefield. He will assume his position at Spectrum in September.

Khaghani appears to have been lured, in part, by a West Michigan connection to Amway co-founder Richard DeVos.

In England, he worked under mentor Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub. Yacoub performed a heart transplant on DeVos in 1997, and Khaghani was on the team. Now retired, Yacoub also has consulted with Spectrum's heart program since 2002.

The creation of Spectrum's transplant program is being assisted with an undisclosed donation from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation. It will be named the Richard DeVos Heart and Lung Transplant Program.

An endowment from the DeVos gift will pay Khaghani's salary, Shannon said.

While Khaghani will be a Spectrum employee, he will work closely with the eight doctors of the West Michigan Cardiothoracic group. Because he is certified with the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), his presence will allow those other heart doctors to perform or assist with transplants.

Spectrum officials say they now refer about 19 patients a year elsewhere for heart transplants.

The DeVos gift is significant because each heart transplant is expected to cost $544,500, but the program is not expected to break even in the first three years. A $2 million loss is projected in the first year, in part, because some health insurers will not approve payment until the program is established and successful.